Aziridine derivatives



United States Patent 3,382,237 AZIRlDiNE DERIVATIVES Morris B. llerenbaum, Levittown, Pa., and Louis Citarel,

Trenton, N.J., assignors to Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Bristol, Pa., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Original application Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,787. Divided and this application Jan. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 623,790

2 Claims. (Cl. 260-239) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Compounds of the formula:

RHC

NCHz--CH2-S-CHz-OCH3 RHC where R and R are hydrogen or lower alkyl, are prepared by reacting an aziridine with methoxymethyl vinyl sulfide. The compounds react with canboxylic acids to yield intermediates for making polymers.

This is a division of Ser. No. 269,787, filed Apr. 1, 1963, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to novel aziridine compounds and to mercaptan terminated materials and intermediates made therefrom.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel class of aziridine compounds.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel class of aziridine compounds which may be used to prepare mencaptan terminated materials.

The novel aziridine compounds of the present invention have the structure in which R and R may each be H or CH These aziridine compounds may be formed according to the present invention by reacting an imine such as ethylene imine or propylene imine with methoxy methyl vinyl sulfide in the presence of, as a catalyst, metallic sodium. This reaction is as follows:

The novel aziridine compounds react with carboxyl groups as follows:

3,382,237 Patented May 7, 1968 in which R" is the nucleus of the organic acid, R and R are as defined above and n is the carboxyl functionality of the acid and is a whole number of at least 1. The organic acid should be as anhydrous as possible and should not contain any groups which are more reactive with the aziridinyl group than the carboxyl group(s). This reaction of the 'aziridine compound with the carboxyl group containing compounds can be conducted with or without a solvent and without a catalyst. The solvents which maybe used include benzene. Organic acids which may 'he used include saturated and unsaturated, aliphatic and aromatic, monofunctional and p-o-lyfunctiona-l acids such as acetic acid, n-caprylic' acid, 9-decylenic acid, succitric acid, azelaic acid, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl acetic acid, itaconic acid, benzoic acid and tercphthalic acid. The use of 'Dolyfunctional acids and acids containing a vinyl group are preferred since such acids, when formed into mercaptan terminated derivatives, as defined herein, may be readily used in polymerization reactions. The poly'functional acids can be transformed, as described herein, into polyfunction'al mercaptan terminated materials which can be readily polymerized. The acids containing a vinyl group may be used to introduce curable mercaptan groups into acrylate polymers to make such polymers more readily curable.

The aziridine compolund/carboxyl group c ntaining compound reaction product can be readily hydrolyzed under mild dilute acid conditions to produce mercantan terminated materials, i.e.,

0 R I: ll I 1 n R[ COOHCHNHCH2SH n CI-I O +n CH O'I-I in which n, R, R and R" are as defined above. Where a polycanboxylic acid is used to react with the aziridine compounds of the present invention and the resulting product is hydrolyzed as discussed above a polyfunction-a1 mercaptan terminated product is obtained which can be readily polymerized with catalysts such as lead peroxide which are known for initiating mercaptan cores. The resulting cured polymers are useful in sealants and caulking compositions.

The following examples are merely illustrative f the present invention and are not intended as a limitation upon the scope thereof.

Example 1 To a 250 ml. flask equipped with a stirrer, thermometer, condenser and addition funnel was added 25.8 grams of ethylene imine and 0.5 grams of sodium. Dropwise, at a rate to maintain 501-5" C. without external cooling, there was then added to the flask 52 grams of methyl methoxy vinyl sulfide over about 1 /2 hours. An additional 0.5 gram of sodium was added and the system was stirred continuously for about 2 hours at which time a brown solid formed and it Was filtered off. The filtrate was distilled and about 4 ml. of unreacted ethylene imine was collected. 43.7 grams of product, B-aziridinyl amine ethyl me'thoxy methyl sulfide, was collected having the following analysis: B.P. 54-57 C. at 2 mm. m 1.4859 and d 'l.045. The product was a water white, water soluble, mobile liquid which gave a positive reaction for nitrogen and sulfur in sodium fusion tests. The product had the structure A Water solution of the material reacts with hydrochlor'ic acid gently for imine polymerization and then gives positive Rheinhold Test. Analysis showed: Actual, N, 9.35%; S, 21.29. Theoretical, N, 9.53; S, 21.75.

The propylene imine derivative can be readily formed by substituting propylene imine for ethylene imine in the above procedure.

Example 2 To a 50 ml. Bantam ware resin pot equipped as in Example 1 was added 17.7 grams of ethylene imine and 0.5 gram of sodium. Drop wisc, at a rate to maintain 50i5 C. without external cooling, there was then added to the reaction system 36.0 grams of met'hoxyl methyl vinyl sulfide in about 2 hours. An additional 0.5 gram of sodium was added during the addition period and gentle heating with warm water was used during the last /2 hour of the reaction period. The mixture was distilled at 50- 50.5 C. at 1.5 mm. and 14.0 grams was collected of 8- aziridinyl amine ethyl methoxy methyl sulfide, a water white oil; n =l.4833.

Example 3 product was distilled under high vacuum, B.P. 130 C.

at 0.01 mm. N =1.5095, d =1.l82, M 54.16, theor. 52.36.

Analysis.Calcd. N, 6.76; S, 15.45 C. Found N, 6.82; S, 16.07. The product has the structure:

Upon hydrolysis with a dilute acid, such as HCl or H 80 the compound prepared above is readily hydrolyzed to a compound having the structure:

To a solution of 7.0 grams of n-caprylic acid in 50 ml. of benzene there was slowly added over a period of about minutes, 7.35 grams of ti-aziridinyl amine ethyl methoxy methyl sulfide prepared as in Example 1 or 2. A gentle exotherm arose to produce a maximum temperature, without external cooling, of about 50 C. The exotherm abated about 10 minutes after the completion of the addition of the aziridine compound. The solution was then refluxed on a steam bath for about 30 minutes and then allowed to stand overnight at room temperature. The reaction system was then dissolved in 50 m1. of ethyl ether and washed several (at least four) times with ml. of distilled H O each time. The second H O wash contained 3 pellets of NaOH to neutralize unreacted acid. The ether phase was washed until a neutral (to litmus) .wash was obtained. The ether phase was then dried with magnesium sulfate and then evaporated to constant weight (7.6 grams). The product was a clear, slightly amber colored, slightly viscous oil which had the structure:

The :product gave a positive Rheinhold test reaction and a +N and +8 fusion test reaction. It had a refractive index of n 1.4902.

Analysis.-Theoretical, N, 4.82%; S, 11.0%. Found, N, 5.19%; S, 11.7%.

Upon hydrolysis with a dilute acid such as sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, the compound prepared above is readily hydrolyzed to a compound having the structure:

To a solution of 10.1 grams of the monomethyl ester of azelaic acid in 50 ml. of benzene there was slowly added over a period of about 10 minutes 7.35 grams of tiaziridinyl amine ethyl methoxy methyl sulfide produced as in Example 1 or 2. A gentle exotherm arose to produce a maximum temperature, without external cooling, of about 65 C. The exotherm abated about 30 minutes after the completion of the addition of the aziridine compound. The solution was then refluxed on a steam bath for about 30 minutes and then allowed to stand overnight at room temperature. The reaction system was then dissolved in 50 ml. of ethyl ether and washed several times (at least four) with 20 ml. of distilled water each time. The second H O wash contained 3 pellets of N-aOH to neutralize unreacted acid. The ether phase was washed until a neutral (to litmus) was obtained. The ether .phase was then dried with magnesium sulfate and then evaporated to constant weight (9.5 grams). The product was a clear, slightly amber colored, slightly viscous oil which had the stnucture:

o 011 -0-iil-(CHm- -O-CHzCH -NllCH2-CII2-SCH:OOII;

The product gave a positive Rheinhold Test reaction and a +N and +5 fusion test reaction. It had a refractive index of 11 1.4912.

Analysis.Theoretical, N, 4.01%; S, 9.17%. Found, N, 4.24%; S, 9.56%.

Upon hydrolysis with a dilute acid such as sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, the compound prepared above is readily hydrolyzed to a compound having the structure:

in which R and R are selected from the group consisting of H and CH NCHz-CHz-SCHzO-CH3 References Cited Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, vol. 11/2 (Stuttgart, 1958), pags 242-244. QD 2581-17.

ALTON D. ROLLINS, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,382,237

Morris B. Berenbaum et al.

May 7 1968 It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 15:95 70 and 71 the formula should appear as shown below:

I ..fi R O H H NH CH CH S CH 0 CH3 Column 3-. line 33, after "15 .45" cancel "C." *imd insert a semicolon:

Signed and sealed this 7th day of October 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, I r.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. 

